Paul Smith feels like he is getting ripped off.
The 60-year-old disabled U.S. Army veteran from Ouray, Colo., lives with PTSD and travels 196 miles round trip from his rural home located 100 miles south of Grand Junction, to the nearest Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical clinic for approved care.
He said the mileage reimbursement he’s entitled to receive is far less than what workers for the VA earn for approved employee travel. He’s calling for change at the federal level, including passage of the DRIVE Act (Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity) that is currently stalled in Congress.
“There are times when I would prefer to meet with my clinician in person but instead use VA Video Connect because I cannot justify or afford the time and out-of-pocket expense of making another long trip,” Smith told Military.com. “I use telehealth to fill the gaps when another in-person visit is not financially or practically realistic.”
Military.com asked the VA whether it supports increasing veteran mileage reimbursements to the standard employee rate. A spokesperson told Military.com that the VA does not typically comment on pending litigation, adding that the VA is required to follow state and federal law, including any changes that arise.
VA Travel Reimbursement Disparity For Healthcare
Currently, the 2026 federal rate for authorized employee travel is 72.5 cents per mile, while eligible veterans traveling for VA-approved care receive 41.5 cents per mile.
The difference is 31 cents per mile absorbed by veterans who may be on fixed incomes with serious medical needs.
“During 2025, I traveled 7,372 miles to attend 52 medically necessary in-person appointments at VA medical centers and care provided through VA-authorized Community Care,” said Smith, who spent four years from 1984 to 1988 serving as an Army specialist at Fort Bragg, N.C.
“I recognize that 52 in-person appointments in one year may sound like a lot. I agree that it is. They were not casual or unnecessary visits, however. They were part of the medical care determined necessary to treat my health conditions,” he added.
Congressional Efforts Hit Wall
In June 2026, Congress unveiled the 554-page Take Care of America’s Veterans Act—a package of more than 60 bills that impact veterans and their benefits, but has drawn some strong opposition.
The DRIVE Act, introduced in 2025, is not included in that legislation. It would tie VA mileage reimbursements for veteran care to the GSA rate and require properly submitted claims to be paid within 90 days.
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) is a sponsor of the bill.
“No veteran should have to decide between their health care and the rising costs of traveling to their appointments,” Brownley said in a statement. “The DRIVE Act is an essential step in easing this burden by ensuring that our veterans, especially those in rural areas and those with fixed incomes, are not penalized for seeking the care they have earned and deserve.”
The DRIVE Act is currently stalled in both houses of Congress.
According to legislative records, both H.R. 1288 and S. 599 have 55 combined cosponsors but remain at the committee level. The House bill was referred to the Health Subcommittee, while the Senate bill received a hearing but not a floor vote.
Rural Veterans and Travel Reimbursements
According to the VA, there are 4.5 million rural veterans in the U.S., with three million enrolled in VA health care and entitled to mileage reimbursements.
The VA does not account for fuel and maintenance costs for veterans traveling for approved care. It does, however, charge veterans a $6 round trip deductible up to $18 per month.
The current deductible is $3 one-way, or $6 round-trip, for each appointment—up to $18 total each month. After you pay $18 within one month, they’ll pay the full cost of approved travel for the rest of that month as required by law. Also, the VA is required by law to withhold certain amounts from travel reimbursement payments.
“These are not theoretical expenses,” Smith said. “I still had to purchase the fuel, maintain and repair my vehicle, replace tires, pay insurance, accumulate mileage, and absorb depreciation,” Smith said. “The cost did not disappear because VA reimbursed me at a lower rate. I personally absorbed the difference.”
Bill Would Increase Veteran Travel Payments
As Congress’ legislative efforts on this issue remain unknown, Smith said the lower mileage reimbursements from the VA force him to choose between telehealth and the in-person care he needs and prefers.
“Based on several years of care, I find many in-person appointments more effective and meaningful for me,” Smith said. “I find it easier to establish trust, discuss difficult experiences, remain engaged, and build a human connection when my clinician and I are physically present in the same room.”
Smith cites the VA’s own data to show the growing use of telehealth versus in-person VA appointments that he claims may or may not be by choice.
According to Smith, mental-health care delivered through VA’s Clinical Resource Hubs more than doubled for rural veterans between 2020 and 2024.
Video visits delivered directly to veterans’ homes increased from 9.2% to 64.3% of encounters, while the number of participating rural sites also doubled.
“Some veterans may prefer video appointments,” Smith added. “Others may prefer in-person treatment or a combination of both. The choice should be based primarily on my medical needs, the nature of the appointment, and discussions with my clinician.
“It should not be substantially influenced by whether I can afford the unreimbursed cost of traveling to receive care.”
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